Device foe



(No Model.)

J. LEITER.

DEVICE FOR APPLYING HEAT 0R 00m) TO THE BODY.

No. 341,584. Patented Ma 11, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE.

JOSEF LEITER, OF VIENNA, AUSTRlA-HUXCrARY.

DEVICE FOR APPLYING HEAT OR COLD TOTHE BODY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,584, dated May 11, 1886.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JosEE LEITER, a subject of Austria-Hungary, residing at Vienna, in the Province of Lower Austria, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Applying Heat or Goldtothe Human or Animal Body; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of surgical or therapeutical devices, by means of which parts of the human or animal body may be heated or cooled, according as heat or cold is required in the treatment of local diseases or affections.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the desired results may be obtained in a simple manner andinamorecleanly manner than is the ease with wet local applications; and the further object of this invention is to so construct the devices that their specific gravity will be less than that of the usual ice-bags employed.

To these ends the invention consists in the combination, with the flexible conducting pipes or tubes, of flexible conducting-supports, both adapted to be bent into the desired form, substantially as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings I haveillustratcd various forms of apparatus adapted for use on various parts of the human body, for instance. Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus more especially adapted to the human head. Fig. 2 shows the same bent into shape, and Fig. 3 illustrates the mode of its application. Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a form of ap' paratus adapted to be applied to a rounded portion of the body, such as the neck or limbs. Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a similarsinaller apparatus for use on children. Fig. 6 is a plan view of an apparatus more especially adapted for application to the nose. Figs. 7 and 8 are like views of apparatus constructed for application to the abdomen, while those shown in Figs. 9 and 10 are constructed for application to the cardiac region and groin, respectively. Fig. 11 shows by a plan view a single strip of flexible metal carrying a length of pipe constructed so that a number thereof may be connected or grouped together, and Fig. 12 shows such a group of strips which are designed for enveloping part of or an' entire limb.

In these drawings like letters indicate like parts, and in all these views 19 indicates the pipe through which the hot or cold liquid circulates, the terminals of said pipe being provided with nozzle or other suitable couplings, c, to which are coupled flexible rubber tubes t 29, for admitting the liquid to and conducting the same from the pipe and P indicates the thin sheet-metal plate to which the pipe 19 is secured.

Before describing the specific arrangement of the various forms of apparatus shown, I would state that both the metallic pipe p and the metallic support therefor must not only be of suificient flexibility to be bent into proper form, so that they may adapt themselves closely to the part of the body to which they are applied, but the metal of which they are made should be a good conductor of heat and coldas, for instance, lead, or any other suitable metal or composition that embodies the same properties of flexibility and conductivity as lead.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown a device in which the thin flexible supporting-plate P is in the form of a star, the pipe p'beiug soldered along the edges of the limbs thereof,and having its terminals 1) 12* connected with a rubber induction and a like eduction pipe, t 15, respectively. In order to decrease the weight of the supporting-plate P, I cut away as much of the metal within its boundary-line as is consistent with the required strength thereof. As shown, the limbs of the starshaped plate P have a number of holes formed therein to decrease the weight thereof. Fig. 2 shows this apparatus bent to the required shape for application to the head of a person, as shown in Fig. 3.

Any suitable means may be employed for securing the limbs of the star-shaped apparatus in position-as, for instance, a small portion of the pipe may be left disconnected from its support near the outer end of the limbs, thereby forming slots through which a cord, tape, or ribbon, 1", may be passed and the ends thereof tied, and small cords, tapes, or ribbons 1" may be passed through said slots to tie the limbs of the apparatus together in pairs, as shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 4 and 5 show flat plates I, carrying a pipe, p, arranged in one or more convolutions. Such an apparatus is more especially designed for use on round portions of the body, such as the neck or a part of a limb.

Instead of a single supporting-plate, P, strips of metal may be soldered to the pipe 1), as shown in Fig, 6. This will be found ad Vantageous in apparatus of limited dimension.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown apparatus of a form suitable for application to the abdominal parts of the body, and in Fig. 9 a form of apparatus suitable for application to the cardiac region.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a strip or narrow plate, P, with a pipe. p, attached thereto. This may be employed to inclose a portion of a limb, or a series of such plates or strips may be united by means of clamps or harps or ribbons or cord. (1, and one ofthe terminals of each pipe connected by flexible or rubber coupling pipes 17, with the corresponding terminal of the pipe on the adjacent strip or plate, thus forming a continuous circuit through the pipes of all the connected strips, the initial 1) of which may be connected with a flexible induction-pipe and the terminal p with a like eduction-pi pe. Such an apparatus is designed forinclosing an entire limb of the body, and is shown in Fig. 12.

I do not desire to confine myself to any par ticular form of apparatus or to a supportingplatc, or to such a plate having parts of its body removed to lighten the same, as it is obvious that strips of metal, as shown in Fig. 6, may be used instead to secure two or more convolutions of pipes, or to support a length of pipe, as in Figs. 11 and 12.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The herein-described apparatus, consisting of one or more flexible sheet-metal plates or strips, P, in combination with a flexible metallic pipe, 1), supported therefrom and arranged in one or more rows or convolutions, forming a continuous circuit, as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The hereindescribed apparatus, consisting of two or more flexible metallic plates or strips flexibly connected together by non-metallic CDIIUGCtlOllS, in combination with two or more pipes supported from and arranged in one or more rows or convolutions on said plates or strips, and flexible non-metallic couplings to connect said pipes in series to form a continuous circuit, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOS EF LEITE R.

lVitnesses:

EDMUND J USSEN, OTTO Scn rrnn. 

